Chpt written by HeartOfGold7: Enjoy!
A coldness pierced the warmth. Bluepaw held up a fore paw and wiped the cold water off her nose. She peered upward at the roof of the apprentices den. Another drop squeezed through and splattered on the ground next to her nest. The den was leaking. It was the morning after the gathering with all four clans, and Bluepaw's limbs were aching in protest when she moved. She had still not fully recovered from the battle at Sunningrocks, and the gathering had left her exhausted.
Silverpaw was still sound asleep in her nest next to Bluepaw, and Snowpaw was sleeping too. Thistlepaw's nest was empty. He'd probably joined the dawn patrol. Splashpaw was stirring on Bluepaw's other side.
The cream coloured apprentice blinked open her bright green eyes. "You're awake too?" she whispered.
Bluepaw nodded, "The den's leaking."
Leaping out of her nest, Splashpaw waved her tail at Bluepaw, and slipped outside.
Bluepaw followed her den mate and emerged into the clearing. The sun was covered by grey clouds. It wasn't raining now, but Bluepaw could sent the watery smell lingering in the air. The camp was just beginning to stir. Dappledlight was talking in a low voice to Adderclaw, and there was a small cluster of warriors near the nettle patch.
"Come on!" Splashpaw invited her; and she trotted across the clearing to where her mentor, Fallentail, was with the other warriors. Featherheart was there too. Bluepaw followed her den mate and stopped beside her mentor. "What are we going to do?" Splashpaw was asking Fallentail. "Hunt?"
Her mentor got to his paws, "Actually, I thought we'd go to the sandy hallow and practice your moves," he mowed.
Splashpaw waved her tail excitedly. "Can Bluepaw and Featherheart come too?"
"If Featherheart wants to, they're welcome to come." Fallentail replied, loud enough for Featherheart to hear.
Bluepaw willed her mentor to agree so she could do something to warm herself up. "Sure." Featherheart purred, "You lead the way," she invited Fallentail.
The golden warrior set off up the bracken tunnel; and Bluepaw followed beside Splashpaw, with Featherheart taking up the rear.
By the time they returned to camp, most of the clouds had drifted away and the sun was shining. It was already sunhigh. Lionstar was perched on the highrock; and the rest of the clan was seated below. Lionstar must have just called a meeting. Bluepaw spotted her sister sitting next to Snowpaw and she trotted over with Splashpaw, and settled down.
Lionstar waved his tail for silence, his golden fur rippling in the breeze, and his blue eyes blazed. "Today I've called you all here to hold an important ceremony." he mowed. "Thistlepaw, come forward."
Bluepaw trained her eyes on the older apprentice, as his muscular golden shape slid forward. Thistlepaw didn't look the least bit nervous. He held his head high, and squared his broad shoulders. He looked like a warrior.
"Leopardtooth," Lionstar continued, addressing Thistlepaw's mentor, "Is Thistlepaw ready to become a Twilightclan warrior?"
He looks like a warrior already! Bluepaw thought; not taking her eyes off the apprentice. She wanted to see some sign that Thistlepaw was at least a little nervous! I don't want to be the only apprentice who gets nervous at my ceremony! She already was shaking in her fur, and she still had to wait two more moons!
"More than ready." Leopardtooth assured Lionstar.
Lionstar nodded agreement and leaped down to stand in front of Thistlepaw, "I, Lionstar, leader of Twilightclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." Bluepaw's fur tingled. "Thistlepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Thistlepaw met his leaders gaze without flinching, "I do."
"Then by the powers of Starclan," Lionstar continued, "I give you your warrior name: Thistlepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Thistlefang. Starclan honours you for courage, and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Twilightclan."
Thistlefang's amber eyes shone like a ray of blazing sunlight. Lionstar rested his muzzle on the new warriors head, and Thistlefang licked Lionstar's shoulder respectfully.
"He's so handsome isn't he!" Splashpaw whispered in Bluepaw's ear.
"Who?"
Splashpaw looked at her as if she had bees in her brains, "Thistlefang!"
Silverpaw leaned over on the other side, "Maybe he's handsome," she agreed, "But he's so arrogant!"
"He's not that bad!" Splashpaw argued.
Silverpaw flicked her tail dismissively, "Fine. I guess he is kind of cute. But for Starclan's sake, keep it down! We don't want Thistlefang to know you're mooning over him!"
Bluepaw butted her sister's shoulder affectionately, "You think he's cute too!"
Silverpaw shrugged, "Sure," she confessed, "But I don't like him as much as Splashpaw."
"Hey! Snowpaw! Bluepaw!" Silverpaw's silver head popped through the entrance in the apprentices den.
Bluepaw opened one blue eye, "What do you want?" she asked sleepily. Snowpaw was grooming scraps of moss out of her dark fur on the opposite side of the den.
"Dappledlight and Adderclaw are taking all the apprentices to the sandy hallow to test our battle skills." Silverpaw announced. "They're waiting for you two slow pokes!"
Bluepaw leaped out of her nest and followed Snowpaw into the clearing.
It had been a moon since Thistlefang's warrior ceremony, and Bluepaw hadn't gotten to sleep in for a while; but she didn't mind too much. She was happy that her clan needed her help.
Dappledlight took the lead, "Right, let's go." she mowed.
When they reached the sandy hallow, Dappledlight and Adderclaw settled down on the side. "Okay," the deputy began, "Silverpaw, come sit next to me." she instructed, "And Snowpaw and Splashpaw, I want both of you to do the double attack on Bluepaw."
Silverpaw trotted across the clearing and sat beside Dappledlight. Bluepaw tried to remember all the moves Featherheart had taught her at the same time. She watched Snowpaw and Splashpaw stalk toward her. Suddenly, Snowpaw lunged forward and raped her paws around Bluepaw's neck. Bluepaw retreated a pace, and slid her head neatly out of Snowpaw's grasp; but Splashpaw was instantly on her back. Bluepaw's paws slid out from under her as Snowpaw darted under her.
"Be quicker Bluepaw!" Adderclaw called.
Bluepaw quickly rolled over, throwing Splashpaw from her back, and nearly squashing Snowpaw. Rearing on her hind legs, Bluepaw swiped a paw out and knocked Splashpaw aside as she tried to leap at her; and then dodged a cuff over the ears from Snowpaw.
"Great job Bluepaw!" Dappledlight purred, "That's enough of that for now."
Bluepaw dropped to all fours panting, and padded over to Silverpaw. The two younger apprentices bounded up to Bluepaw, "Wow! You're so good!" Splashpaw exclaimed. Bluepaw licked her chest fur in embarrassment.
"When Bluepaw gets her breath back, I'd like her and Silverpaw to do a one on one practice together." Dappledlight announced thoughtfully.
A few heartbeats later, Bluepaw stood, facing her sister in the center of the clearing. The two sisters made a good start, neither one wanting to look silly in front of the clan deputy. What if she decided they needed more training, and didn't let them become warriors in a moon? Bluepaw managed a few good hits to her sister, and she was quite proud of herself for doing so well in front of the older warriors, despite her slow movements earlier. But abruptly, Silverpaw sprang forward and slammed into Bluepaw's shoulder. The force sent Bluepaw backwards. Her tail brushed the ground. I'm flying in the air! Bluepaw thought in a moment of panic. Then she suddenly hit the ground again, the wind knocked out of her lungs. Pain tore through her left shoulder. Bluepaw yowled in pain, and through back her head in agony.
Dappledlight rushed to her side, "Bluepaw, what's wrong?" she asked hoarsely. When Bluepaw didn't reply, she crouched next to her. "Listen to me." she murmured gently, "Try to get up. You can use my shoulder if you need to."
Bluepaw nodded painfully and tried to lift herself; but she instantly collapsed, and another spasm of pain gripped her shoulder. She let out another agonizing cry. "I can't!" she wailed.
Dappledlight flicked her tail at Snowpaw and Splashpaw, "Run back to camp and get Speckledberry." she ordered, and Bluepaw heard their paw steps retreating as they dashed off.
Silverpaw crouched at her other side, "I'm so sorry Bluepaw!" she sobbed, "It's all my fault you're hurt!"
"It's no one's fault." Adderclaw mowed, "You didn't know she'd land the way she did. Accidents happen."
Bluepaw hardly heard them. Her shoulder felt as if it were on fire; and her mind was clouded by pain. All she could think about was her injury. What if my shoulder's terribly sprained? She wondered, Will it ever heal right; or am I only going to be a burden to my clan forever? Bluepaw rested her head on the sandy ground. How could she become a warrior, if she couldn't fight?
Are things starting to look a little different from Bluestar's Prophecy?